(CNN) - Legislators reacted Wednesday to President Barack Obama's gun violence proposals, including the reinstatement of an assault weapons ban and a set of directives for his administration to accomplish.

House Speaker John Boehner
"House committees of jurisdiction will review these recommendations. And if the Senate passes a bill, we will also take a look at that."

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid
"I thank the president's task force for its thoughtful recommendations. I am committed to ensuring that the Senate will consider legislation that addresses gun violence and other aspects of violence in our society early this year. The tragedy at Sandy Hook was just the latest sad reminder that we are not doing enough to protect our citizens – especially our children – from gun violence and a culture of violence, and all options should be on the table moving forward."

Rep. Mike Thompson, D-California and chairman of a gun violence panel of House Democrats
"The president and our task force agree that we need a comprehensive approach to reduce and prevent gun violence. Executive action can and should be part of the process, and many of the executive actions announced today will have a positive influence on reducing gun violence. Now it's time for Congress to step up and do what needs to be done to save lives. Many of the policies that will have the greatest impact on reducing gun violence will require congressional action. During the next several weeks our task force will examine the president's proposals and the proposals of others. We will continue meeting with stakeholders on every side of this issue. And we will develop a comprehensive set of policy proposals that both respect peoples' 2nd Amendment rights and help keep our communities safe from gun violence."

National Rifle Association
"Throughout its history, the National Rifle Association has led efforts to promote safety and responsible gun ownership. Keeping our children and society safe remains our top priority. The NRA will continue to focus on keeping our children safe and securing our schools, fixing our broken mental health system, and prosecuting violent criminals to the fullest extent of the law. We look forward to working with Congress on a bi-partisan basis to find real solutions to protecting America's most valuable asset – our children. Attacking firearms and ignoring children is not a solution to the crisis we face as a nation. Only honest, law-abiding gun owners will be affected and our children will remain vulnerable to the inevitability of more tragedy."

Dan Gross, President of the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence
"The Brady Campaign stands with the president and vice president in supporting these comprehensive policy recommendations to address gun violence. The White House has shown tremendous leadership in convening stakeholders and engaging the country in a conversation that the Brady Campaign and so many Americans have been calling for in the wake of Aurora, Newtown, and the 32 gun murders that happen every day in our country. We, at the Brady Campaign, are proud to have had the opportunity to share a comprehensive set of policy solutions with the White House Task Force and we are pleased to see our ideas reflected in the final recommendations. We will work with the Administration over the coming days to give voice to the American public who so strongly support common sense legislative policies that can immediately prevent gun violence, such as universal background checks. We also re-affirm the Brady Campaign's commitment to lead the way toward better public health and safety education programs regarding the almost 300 million guns already in the hands of mostly law-abiding citizens. I strongly believe that now it's up to us to make real change happen."

House Judiciary Chairman Bob Goodlatte, R-Virginia
"House Republicans welcome the recommendations of this task force and will consider them as the House continues to examine ways to prevent tragedies like the one in Newtown. However, good intentions do not necessarily make good laws, so as we investigate the causes and search for solutions, we must ensure that any proposed solutions will actually be meaningful in preventing the taking of innocent life and that they do not trample on the rights of law-abiding citizens to exercise their Constitutionally-guaranteed rights. We will take these recommendations into consideration as we continue to conduct our own inquiries into how to prevent these tragedies from happening."

Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa and ranking member of the Senate Judiciary Committee
"The Second Amendment is more than just words on paper. It's a fundamental right that ensures citizens the ability to protect themselves against the government. Unfortunately, the president seems to think that the Second Amendment can be tossed aside. Using executive action to attempt to poke holes in the Second Amendment is a power grab along the same pattern we've seen of contempt for the elected representatives of the American people. … Instead of a thoughtful, open and deliberate conversation, President Obama is attempting to institute new restrictions on a fundamental constitutional right. … One area I agree with the President on is that a Senate confirmed head of the ATF would be beneficial, but if the Justice Department leadership, including the attorney general, does its job, there should be plenty of accountability for the ATF. … To top it off, it's intellectually dishonest for the White House to argue for new programs restricting the sale of guns, when this administration deliberately allowed the illegal sale of guns to known straw purchasers. And, if the president has the authority as he claims to take these actions via executive action, why did he wait until now? … Senator Leahy and I are preparing for a Judiciary Committee hearing after the Senate returns on aspects within our jurisdiction. It's important we explore in depth all aspects of this violence. It can't be done in a week by a few members of the president's administration. We must look at mental health and other societal issues which are critical to getting to the bottom of the violence we're seeing."

Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-New York
“If you look at the combination of likelihood of passage and effectiveness of curbing gun crime, universal background checks is at the sweet spot. We’re glad the President put such emphasis on it, and we look forward to working with him on this and other proposals to make our nation safer from the scourge of gun violence.“

Gov. Dannel Malloy, D-Connecticut
"In the hours after the worst of our fears were confirmed, in the midst of the grief and sorrow over the loss of 20 innocent children and six dedicated educators at Sandy Hook Elementary School, there was one question on the minds of people across Connecticut and around the nation: How do we make sure this never happens again? Today the President took the critical first step toward answering that question. The common sense measures he proposed today are something that we should all be able to agree on, and I want to commend him and the Vice President for their work on this issue. I have no doubt that, state by state, we will deal with the issue of gun violence. Over the coming months, I will do everything in my power to make sure that Connecticut is a national leader in preventing gun violence. We will take steps to make sure that our gun laws are as tight as they are reasonable, that our mental health system is accessible to those that need it, and that our law enforcement personnel have all the tools they need to protect public safety, particularly in our schools. But we can't go it alone. We need leadership at the federal level, and for the first time in a long time, we have it. We will not be able to stop gun violence completely, but we can make our country and our children safer. We owe it to them, and to all those lost in Sandy Hook, Aurora and every other city that has lost someone to gun violence, to try."

Gov. Rick Perry, R-Texas
"The vice president's committee was appointed in response to the tragedy at Newtown, but very few of his recommendations have anything to do with what happened there. Guns require a finger to pull the trigger. The sad young man who did that in Newtown was clearly haunted by demons and no gun law could have saved the children in Sandy Hook Elementary from his terror. There is evil prowling in the world – it shows up in our movies, video games and online fascinations, and finds its way into vulnerable hearts and minds. As a free people, let us choose what kind of people we will be. Laws, the only redoubt of secularism, will not suffice. Let us all return to our places of worship and pray for help. Above all, let us pray for our children. In fact, the piling on by the political left, and their cohorts in the media, to use the massacre of little children to advance a pre-existing political agenda that would not have saved those children, disgusts me, personally. The second amendment to the Constitution is a basic right of free people and cannot be nor will it be abridged by the executive power of this or any other president."

Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Florida
"As the father of four young children, I was deeply saddened by the murder of innocent kids at Sandy Hook. In the aftermath of this terrible tragedy, I expressed my hope that President Obama and our elected leaders would take a sober look at how we can prevent such heinous murders in the future. Doing so would require addressing the underlying causes of these evil acts, and keeping guns out of the hands of criminals and the mentally ill without curtailing the 2nd Amendment rights of law-abiding citizens. Nothing the president is proposing would have stopped the massacre at Sandy Hook. President Obama is targeting the 2nd Amendment rights of law-abiding citizens instead of seriously addressing the real underlying causes of such violence. Rolling back responsible citizens' rights is not the proper response to tragedies committed by criminals and the mentally ill. Making matters worse is that President Obama is again abusing his power by imposing his policies via executive fiat instead of allowing them to be debated in Congress. President Obama's frustration with our republic and the way it works doesn't give him license to ignore the Constitution. Guns are not the problem; criminals with evil in their hearts and mentally ill people prone to violence are. Rather than sweeping measures that make it harder for responsible, law-abiding citizens to purchase firearms, we should focus on the root causes of gun violence and keep guns out of the hands of criminals and the mentally ill. As a strong defender of the 2nd Amendment, I will oppose the President's attempts to undermine Americans' constitutional right to bear arms."

Sen. Mark Udall, D-Colorado
"President Obama's comprehensive plan to curb gun violence is exactly the type of multi-faceted approach we need to drive the debate on how to prevent future tragedies from occurring. I plan to study his proposal in detail and to work with Colorado gun owners, hunters, sportsmen, mental health professionals and law enforcement, among others, to plan a collaborative way forward. However, in the wake of the Aurora and Newtown shootings, one thing is clear: We need comprehensive solutions that protect our children, prevent criminals and the mentally ill from obtaining guns, and ensure responsible gun ownership consistent with the Second Amendment. I wish I could say that enforcement of our current laws has been sufficient at keeping our children safe, but that simply is not the case. For example, while Colorado has a storied tradition of gun ownership, I am not certain that owning high-capacity ammunition clips or weapons made for the battlefield are necessarily part of that heritage. I will continue to work with my colleagues and Coloradans – of all political stripes – to discuss concrete steps we can take to help prevent dangerous guns from falling into the wrong hands."

Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-South Carolina“The recent tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary School is heartbreaking and beyond words. However, the gun control plans brought forward by President Obama fail to address the real issues and I’m confident there will be bipartisan opposition to his proposal. One bullet in the hands of a homicidal maniac is one too many. But in the case of a young mother defending her children against a home invader - a real-life event which recently occurred near Atlanta - six bullets may not be enough. Criminals aren’t going to follow legislation limiting magazine capacity. However, a limit could put law-abiding citizens at a distinct disadvantage when confronting a criminal. As for reinstating the assault weapons ban, it has already been tried and failed. Finally, when it comes to protecting our schools, I believe the best way to confront a homicidal maniac who enters a school is for them to be met by armed resistance from a trained professional.”

House Education and the Workforce Chairman John Kline, R-Minnesota
"The president and vice president have proposed a broad set of recommendations, which I plan to review carefully. … In the coming weeks, the House Committee on Education and the Workforce will convene a hearing to examine school safety and ways to protect our children. I have reached out to Ranking Member Miller for his input, and I hope we can work together as we explore policies that will help prevent violence in our schools."

Rep. Tom Coburn, R-Oklahoma
“The president is right to examine what can be done to prevent tragedies such as Sandy Hook from occurring again. I commend his effort and look forward to working with him on areas of agreement while we continue to honestly debate areas of disagreement. For instance, the president is right to take steps to strengthen mental health databases and reporting to the NICS system so we can ensure that guns do not end up in the hands of criminals or those who are a threat to themselves or others. In the hands of a deranged person, a clip size of one is one too many. ... However, as we debate these measures, we first must ensure our constitutional rights and individual liberties, including the Second Amendment right to bear arms, are protected. Instead of repeating the failed policies of the past, Congress should work on thoughtful and constitutional ways to prevent unspeakable tragedies like this from happening again. The fact that almost every public mass shooting tragedy occurs in a place where guns are prohibited shows that restricting Second Amendment rights tends to disarm everyone but the assailant. Secondly, we must acknowledge that with rights come responsibilities. Gun owners must exercise personal responsibility and do everything in their power to prevent firearms and ammunition from falling into the wrong hands. Finally, policymakers in Washington should remember that the legislative process is downstream from culture."

Rep. Tom Price, R-Georgia
‪“All Americans want our communities to be safe places to live, learn, work and play. As we review how best to prevent mass shootings and the loss of innocent lives we should make a robust analysis of America’s mental health system a priority. A proper diagnosis and comprehensive treatment are critical to ensure we are identifying indicators of violent behavior that may lead to horrific crimes. To do otherwise would mean we continue to fail not only those afflicted with mental illness, but also their families, our communities and our nation. We know that the safe use and responsible ownership of firearms has time and time again safeguarded individual and public safety. In fact, guns are used more often to protect lives, not take lives. Steps to remove firearms from the hands of law-abiding citizens endangers those very citizens. John Adams succinctly stated that ‘our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.' As a public servant sworn to uphold that Constitution, I vow to continue to defend the freedoms it guarantees and bring focus to real problems and real solutions.”

Rep. Raúl Labrador, R-Idaho
"Despite the shameful use of children today to drive his agenda, I will carefully review the President's executive actions and his legislative proposals. Our Founding Fathers believed the right to bear arms was essential to the cause of freedom. Those same Founders also gave the executive branch the authority to enforce the laws protecting this right and our security-and this is the authority the President asserts today. I will review these proposals to ensure that the President's actions and proposals do not violate our constitutionally protected right to bear arms. I will also thoughtfully consider whether the laws we currently have on the books can be better enforced to safeguard our lives and our liberty. I have always defended the Second Amendment and will continue to do so with my heart and soul. Still, I believe our nation and the Second Amendment are strong enough to withstand an examination of ways we can protect the most vulnerable among us without harming those liberties that God has given us to make us free. I look forward to having a thoughtful, honest and straightforward discussion about these issues in the Judiciary Committee over the next few months."

Laura Murphy, director of the ACLU's Washington Legislative Office
"Many of the presidential actions announced today are thoughtful, and the ACLU is assessing all of the proposals that have been put forth. We have several concerns about the administration incentivizing police departments and school districts to put more police officers in schools. … We fear that neutral sounding safety policies, such as putting more cops in school will lead to the over-incarceration of school-age children, especially students of color and students with disabilities, who are disproportionately arrested and prosecuted for issues that would normally be handled by school administrators when law enforcement is introduced into schools."

Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers
"The tragic events of Newtown must serve as a clarion call for immediate action to keep our communities safe from gun violence and ensure schools are the safe sanctuaries our children need to learn and grow. We applaud President Obama and Vice President Biden for heeding this call for action with a series of common-sense, balanced proposals that will make our nation safer … Schools across our country are in desperate need of resources to create safe, secure and nurturing learning environments, and we are glad the president has recognized that need. Some schools, due to their remoteness or following horrendous tragedies such as the massacre in Newtown, may decide that appropriately trained police officers are necessary. Other schools may decide instead that more school guidance counselors, social workers and psychologists are needed. These decisions should be made by individual school communities following safety audits. Under no circumstances should educators have the responsibility of being armed, and schools should not become armed fortresses. The role of educators is to teach and nurture our children, not to be armed guards. In times of great tragedy, Americans have always come together to grieve, to support one another, and to act-to put aside what divides us and take collective action to heal and move our nation forward. Too many of our children have had their lives cut short and their futures denied by gun violence-in their schools and in their communities. We have a set of effective proposals and now we must find the political will to get it done."

Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus
"President Obama's series of gun control measures amount to an executive power grab that may please his political base but will not solve the problems at hand. He paid lip service to our fundamental constitutional rights, but took actions that disregard the 2nd Amendment and the legislative process. Representative government is meant to give voice to the people; President Obama's unilateral executive action ignores this principle. Instead, we need to work together to find real solutions – many of which do not come from the federal government – that help protect our children and communities while also being firm in protecting Americans' constitutional rights."

Stephanie Taylor, Co-founder of the Progressive Change Campaign Committee
"We applaud the White House plan to think big and take bold action against gun killings. The PCCC is all in for this fight, investing time and money in Republican and Democratic districts until Congress passes major gun legislation that includes an assault weapons ban."

Tim Makris, co-founder of the Newtown, Connecticut group Sandy Hook Promise
"Sandy Hook Promise welcomes the broad focus of the President's proposals. We appreciate his decisive action to help address through Executive Order immediate opportunities for reform, and we applaud his broader commitment to finding meaningful common sense solutions to help prevent similar acts of violence in other communities in America. Hopefully this will begin a thoughtful debate in Congress on how best to prevent future incidents of gun violence. However, a solution won't happen just in Washington. We encourage everyone, citizens and politicians, to make and uphold the Sandy Hook Promise, to engage in a constructive national dialogue on all of the important issues involved. As an organization, our purpose is to ensure that we have that dialogue and take action, not just in Washington but in our communities and our homes."

soundoff(111 Responses)

Ed1

When will all cars on the road today have back up cameras according to what Obama just did more kids are killed by cars backing up than guns take all the cars off the road that do not have back up cameras.

Everyone needs to take a chill pill.
I agree that the mentally ill shouldn't be allowed to buy guns but it's not the guns but the people.
According to USA Weekend 1-11-1-13-2013 60 children that's right 60 children are killed every week by cars and trucks that back over them. Should we ban all cars and trucks that don't have backup cameras no we should hold people accountable and should be the same case with guns. Why don't we have the same outrage about people backing over children that's easy no press coverage.
Every time something happens with guns it's front page news and when you look at all the people that buy guns tell me how many of them go out and commit mass murders not that many because they follow the laws that are in place now.
All I heard was when we are allowed to get a concealed weapons permit murders would go threw the roof guess what they went down.
Take a breath and let's discuss the terrible murder of 20 children at a school and act like we have some common sense and not some knee jerk reaction.
A ban on all semi automatic weapons is not only stupid but the people that are pushing this really don't have a clue about guns and how they work.
I keep hearing that we should ban all assault weapons we don't have any on the market now. An assault weapon is a gun that can fire three rounds with one pull of the trigger, fire one round with one pull of the trigger, and car fire full automatic with just holding the trigger down. It just about the hardest permit to get is for a fully automatic weapon and if you want to put a cost on that why not charge $50,000 a year for each permit.
Please know what you are talking about before you take the same path as almost every socialist and communist country out there in the world. It wouldn't take long before that could happen with all the BS going on out there right now and that includes Obama and his party.

January 16, 2013 02:49 pm at 2:49 pm |

pam

Grassley you are my congressman and you are making me sick! Obama is not taking away any 2nd ammendment rights. You know this. Quit flaming the fears of the wack jobs out there. Try leading for a change instead of blindly spewing the NRA's talking points. You represent all of us, not just the small fraction of anti government, survivalist GI joe wannabes.

January 16, 2013 02:50 pm at 2:50 pm |

rs

My reaction is that the NRA shot itself in both feet with their insulting, idiotic and disrespectful ad. They no longer have any credibility in this discussion. They are clearly run by the most demented, perverted, sub-humans on the planet. I would be truly embarrassed to belong to such a radical, and foolish organization.

January 16, 2013 02:55 pm at 2:55 pm |

Gurgyl

This nation needs to pass gun-control laws. Period. They are very desperate.

January 16, 2013 02:56 pm at 2:56 pm |

Terry

Gun control laws more strict than what Obama has proposed today have been in place in Chicago for years.
What did it get them?

506 murders in 2012.
464 school-age children were shot in 2012.

What makes you think Obama's proposals will accomplish anything?

January 16, 2013 02:58 pm at 2:58 pm |

Woman In California

As a supporter of the president, I understand the politics of this and I would love to see measures taken that this never happens again, but I am also deeply offended he became so involved in THIS tragedy. I would never own a gun and I would never live in a house with one but why this tragedy? Why not all the other inner city tradegies? It will take me a while to get over this, and I have friends and family members who voted for him also and feel the same way.
Mr. President, you owe an apology to many of us (minorities) who supported you.

January 16, 2013 02:59 pm at 2:59 pm |

rs

Meanwhile Reince Priebus and John Boehner have rather foolishly sided with the NRA. I think it will not only be damaging to Republicans, but logically difficult that after 5 mass shootings in a year (and more than 900 gun deaths in just the month since Newtown) to try to explain to the American public that the status quo is somehow a rational and reasonable response to ever growing gun violence. More directly, why is the GOP supporting mass-murder's gun rights over our right to safety?Oh, yeah- it must be the profit the gun-makers get that is much more important than human life.

January 16, 2013 03:03 pm at 3:03 pm |

Larry L

How many in our Congress have the courage to forget about their N.R.A. Report Card? How many care more about the American people than about getting reelected? Maybe we need a "Political Courage Report Card" to publish before every election.

January 16, 2013 03:07 pm at 3:07 pm |

Claudia, Houston, Tx

Our children want to live, they deserve to live their lives to the fulliest just like those in Washington. I pray our Congess people will honor the dealths of our beloved children and do the right thing and not the political thing. Let their deaths not be in vein, they are looking down upon us.

January 16, 2013 03:12 pm at 3:12 pm |

Tom

Do you even need to call these people to get these quotes? There's not a single statement here that is surprising. Pure partisan BS from all sides. Next time make this a contest. Give us the name and let us write the quote. Then compare those to what was actually said. I'll bet you could anticipate these statements with at least an 80% accuracy.

January 16, 2013 03:15 pm at 3:15 pm |

James Bond

Talk talk talk, do something, repubs talk reform, but in the end they will give an excuse to not approve it. sounds familiar, and they really do think were stupid

January 16, 2013 03:15 pm at 3:15 pm |

wwf

Mr. Grassley is an idiot. Nowhere in the 2nd amendment does it state we get to have guns to protect ourselves from the government. Oh, I forgot. He is part of the government. Maybe we do.

January 16, 2013 03:16 pm at 3:16 pm |

thomase

Newtown was bad and all, but you know, gun control won't solve anything...
– every elected republican

You're right...

– Better access to mental health services... oh, wait... decent mental therapy is expensive and not affordable to most. We can't help that though because we need to cut spending.
– Hand guns kill more people than assault rifles! Oh, but wait, we can't touch those because you know 2nd amendment. We can't even have a proper discussion because... oh 2nd amendment. But... 2nd amendment.
– Tougher penalties for firearms offences? Oh no, we have too many laws blah blah blah

The reason that people keep bringing up this debate after a massacre like this is because we still can't believe we haven't been able to come up a solution yet and more and more people die as a result.

January 16, 2013 03:17 pm at 3:17 pm |

Sniffit

So funny reading comments from people like Grassley, Rubio and Cowboy Fonzie. They so clearly wrote them a couple days ago and made sure to hit all the talking points and buzz words necessary to continue to anger, scare and further radicalize the right wing. They read like they don't really even know what Obama proposed or is issuing as eecutive orders. Accusations that Obama's 23 things he is doing with executive orders are unconstitutional or somehow infringe on the 2nd Amendment...they don't even pass the giggle test. These idiots simply wrote a paragraph of pandering grifter piffle to say what they think their gun nut constituents and donors want to hear.

January 16, 2013 03:26 pm at 3:26 pm |

Sniffit

F-ing hilarious. There's no "executive power grab" involved here. That argument doesn't even pass the giggle test and will get incredibly short shrift from the courts. Enjoy your case dismissals and wasted legal fees.

January 16, 2013 03:29 pm at 3:29 pm |

Sniffit

"Tougher penalties for firearms offences?"

Indeed.

Black kid caught with a joint? GIVE HIM TEN YEARS!!!!!!

Dude caught straw purchasing a gun for someone trying to avoid the background check? HE SHOULDN'T BE PUNISHED AT ALL CUZ IT'S AN ABSOLUTE CONSTIMATOOSHUNAL RYTE!!!

January 16, 2013 03:31 pm at 3:31 pm |

betterdays

I actaully thought the Executive Orders were sensible, and I'm a very conservative person. Not so sure about his recommendations to Congress, but I suspect the current odds are greater that I'll be struck by lightning than be confronted by one or more criminals wielding weapons with 30-shot clips.

Of course, perhaps by the end of the president's second term those odds will change, since he has neither said nor done anything about low-income ("ghetto") violent crime in the past four years. He acts as though it's not a problem. Well, it's a problem, and ignoring it won't solve it; nor will making it more difficult for law-abiding citizens to protect themselves help matters much.

January 16, 2013 03:34 pm at 3:34 pm |

Sniffit

"What makes you think Obama's proposals will accomplish anything?"

National versus local. The laws need tobe uniform or peopel from, for example, Chicago, can just waltz over to some other state, buy up a gun at a gun show or in some other manner that avoids proper background checks, and then waltz back to Chicago to shoot people. Patchwork gun laws DO NOT WORK and the mess of loopholes and end-runs it creates means that the lowest common denominator is what is actually in effect. No matter what laws Chicago or New York or DC or other places pass, the lowest common denominator, i.e., whatever is in effect in the most loosely regulated locality, is what still rules the day.

January 16, 2013 03:35 pm at 3:35 pm |

The Real Tom Paine

-Ed1

When will all cars on the road today have back up cameras according to what Obama just did more kids are killed by cars backing up than guns take all the cars off the road that do not have back up cameras.

Everyone needs to take a chill pill.
I agree that the mentally ill shouldn't be allowed to buy guns but it's not the guns but the people.
************************
Why are we enabling them? We enable them by doing nothing, by cutting funding for mental health programs, and by reciting the NRA's interpretation of the Second Amendment, all while refusing to take responsibility for the effects of these policies ( or lack thereof). Its an abdication of responsibility to our fellow human beings, all in the guise of liberty and freedom. There is no liberty or freedom in being murdered.

January 16, 2013 03:35 pm at 3:35 pm |

dave

Hey, little Johnny and Sally, here's you're school. We've posted armed guards at the entrances. Why? Because our country is a place where violent mad men roam the streets. No, it wasn't always like this. No, it's not like this in other countries. Why is it this way here? I don't know, but you really should be aware that the best thing you can do is get a gun and be ready to shoot these people when they eventually come after you. What do you mean you want to live somewhere where you don't have to do that? If you're afraid of violence you should get a gun because that what freedom is all about.

January 16, 2013 03:37 pm at 3:37 pm |

The Real Tom Paine

The number of executive orders Obama has issued in the last 4 years does not even come close to Bush 41, yet you would swear a coup had taken place and Obama was delivering speeches from a balcony wearing fatigues. What a crock of paranoid fantasies the Right imbibes from every day.

January 16, 2013 03:38 pm at 3:38 pm |

dave

Ed1 - I'm not so sure you should be bragging about your inability to understand the difference between a car accident and a shooting massacre.

Your poor logic could just as easily cut the other way: it's illegal for citizens to posses nuclear arms, and since we've never had a nuclear explosion set off by a citizen, there's an obvious 100% success rate in banning weapons and avoiding tragedy. Right?

January 16, 2013 03:41 pm at 3:41 pm |

Chief1942

When are folks going to admit that for hundreds of years this nation never had such tragic events as happened in Newtown, yet firearms were even more prevelent than today. Do you suppose that the total diregard for the value of human life has anything to do with it? Oh! Wait, that's not part of this debate is it. It's simply those inanimate tools that are to blame for all the carnage that we want to discuss. If that's the case, then you are a bald face liar if you take the position that you really want solutions to the causes of such tragic events.

January 16, 2013 03:47 pm at 3:47 pm |

Rudy NYC

Naturally, the right wing reacts once again with hyperbole, fantasy and statements not intended to be factually accurate.

January 16, 2013 03:50 pm at 3:50 pm |

Rudy NYC

Chief1942 wrote:

When are folks going to admit that for hundreds of years this nation never had such tragic events as happened in Newtown, yet firearms were even more prevelent than today. ..... ....
------------------
GONG! You can stop right there. If you mean that they had more arrows "hundreds of years ago" to put into their bows than we have guns in hand today, then what you're saying is factually correct, but still delusional.

Since your entire argument is begins with, and is based upon, an entirely false premise, then your argument is likewise false.